Memoranda to Dr. Doggett, Prof Mohler and Dr. Karpovich (April 5, 1927)

Item Information

Title:
Memoranda to Dr. Doggett, Prof Mohler and Dr. Karpovich (April 5, 1927)
Description:
This memorandum details the issues regarding the immigration status of Peter V. Karpovich's. This memorandum was written by Dr. James McCurdy to Dr. Laurence Doggett, Dr. Frank Mohler, and Dr. Peter V. Karpovich and is dated April 5, 1927. For more information on Peter V. Karpovich, see: https://springfield.as.atlas-sys.com/agents/people/571 After attending Springfield College for a year, concerns about Karpovich’s immigration status caused the college’s faculty to take action. They were up against the recently passed Immigration Act of 1924, which allowed Karpovich to enter the country as a student for two years but prevented him from transferring his student status to professorial status without leaving the country and re-applying for admission. This was problematic on multiple fronts. Springfield College had hired Karpovich part-time to fill the vacancy left by Dr. Elmer Barry to teach physiology. By 1927, Karpovich’s family was now in the United States on a temporary visa and deportation to Russia was not feasible. Karpovich and his wife had perjured themselves by seeking a pseudo-divorce and Karpovich had deserted the army when he fled to Latvia. Springfield College faculty members sprang into action and wrote many letters to the State Department, the Department of Labor, Massachusetts Senator Frederick Gillett, Canadian Immigration, and the American embassy in Mexico in an attempt to secure their new faculty member’s permanent residence. A plan formulated that contrived Karpovich entering Canada temporarily to satisfy the terms of the Immigration Act, which stipulated the alien must first leave the country and then seek re-admittance. However, his Russian nationality prevents his Canadian exile and he fared no better with Mexican authorities. While it remains unclear how Karpovich remained in the country, circumventing the Immigration Act of 1924, he successfully completed his Master’s Degree in Physical Education in 1929 and was granted citizenship in 1935. Within the same folder there is a follow up memo that carries on the narrative.
Creator:
Mohler, Frank W.
Date:
April 5, 1927
Format:
Documents
Location:
Springfield College Archives and Special Collections
Collection (local):
College Archives Digital Collections
Subjects:
Springfield College
Springfield College--Faculty
Springfield College--Presidents
Karpovich, Peter V.
Mohler, Frank M.
Doggett, L. L. (Laurence Locke), 1864-1957
McCurdy, J. H. (James Huff), 1866-1940
Correspondence
Immigrants
Government officials
College presidents
Government policy
Places:
Massachusetts > Hampden (county) > Springfield
Link to Item:
http://cdm16122.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15370coll2/id/19335
Terms of Use:
Text and images are owned, held, or licensed by Springfield College and are available for personal, non-commercial, and educational use, provided that ownership is properly cited. A credit line is required and should read: Courtesy of Springfield College, Archives and Special Collections. Any commercial use without written permission from Springfield College is strictly prohibited. Other individuals or entities other than, and in addition to, Springfield College may also own copyrights and other propriety rights. The publishing, exhibiting, or broadcasting party assumes all responsibility for clearing reproduction rights and for any infringement of United States copyright law.
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Publisher:
Springfield College
Language:
English
Identifier:
ms501-01-a-01-03-016